


BOOK 3 THE WEDDING GUEST'S SONG (note:unfinished  52/2)

by Mariahtessjojasper



Category: The Wedding Guest (2018), The Wedding Package
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2020-10-17 11:27:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20620265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mariahtessjojasper/pseuds/Mariahtessjojasper
Summary: Jay returns to Goa after an exfil in Iran.  Samira has been writing letters to him.   Samira is waiting for him in the beach house. They begin the process of getting to know each other when Gale comes asking for Jay's help in an exfil from a Pakistan prison.  A doctor is being held there and his health is deteriorating.  The Americans want him out - owe him fro help he has given them in the past.  There i a fear he will die in the prison.  Jay Samira Gale Sammy and their friend Cedric the pilot devise a plan to get him out of the prison into a hospital or into the morgue by using drugs Samira a pharmacist knows.   All must go into Pakistan.  the doctor is exfilled and his family is exfilled as well.  Cedric flies them out.





	1. I wear my boots; you wear your ring

**Author's Note:**

  * For [samira and Jay](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=samira+and+Jay).

Jay is packing. The suitcase is open on his bed. It is nearly full. A box with black boots in it is on the bed. Jay looks at the boots holds them up. Puts them back in the box. Shakes his head. 

^^^*^^^

Jay is sitting in the back of a taxi. It is raining hard in London. Cold and grey and dark. 

So going away for Christmas are you.

Yah. India. The South. Like Hawaii. 

Meeting up with friends are ya?

Hope to. 

Have a good flight then sir. 

^^^*^^^

Jay lands at Mumbai then walks to the Spice Terminal. Checks in.

A man in uniform comes up to him. 

Ced: Hey, Jay. Looks like you're on my plane. 

Jay: Ced. Great to see you. 

They shake hands. 

Jay: Hear you flew Samira back and forth a few times. Appreciate it. 

Cedric: Man. Gale is crazy about her. He has a sister in Berkeley. They are close. He misses her. I think Samira is a stand-in for the sister here in India. He'd do anything for Samira. 

Jay laughs. 

Jay: You two served together?

Cedric: Yah. I was an army pilot. Flew the guys for their jumps. The 101st when Gale was there. Before he went with the clandestine services. Before he found himself an Indian boyfriend. We both ended up here. In India. Occasionally he does a little operation here - somebody calls him wants to pay him to do something. Freelance. Clandestine. Calls me in sometimes. Never knew a better man for a dark night. 

Ced: Listen if there's anything you need, let me know. Let the clerk at the desk know. They'll find me. 

Jay: Okay. Thanks. 

Cedric: We might be a little late leaving, some back-up on the runway.

Jay: Gale helped me out last February a couple of times. Nobody like him. 

Cedric: We agree on that.

^^^*^^^

Jay is in the Goa Airport. He puts his bags down and sits down. He opens a bag and takes out the boots. He takes off his shoes and puts them in his bag, pulls on the boots. Stands. Testing them. Putting his weight on one foot then the other. 

Cedric comes up to him: Sorry we were late man. Nice boots. 

Jay: A gift. From Samira. New. Comfortable, though. 

Ced: Don't think you're gonna find a cab. Where are you headed? 

Vasco da Gama. Got a beach house there.

Hey, I'll drop you. No problem.

^^^*^^^

12:00 midnight 

The beach house is dark

Jay climbs the steps. Unlocks the door. 

Puts his bags inside the front door.

Looks for a light switch. 

Hears a shotgun racked.

Jay: Who's there? 

No one answers. 

Hey. It's Jay. This is my house.

A flashlight is turned on. Shines in Jay's eyes.

Samira? Is that you? It's Jay. 

Nothing.

Samira: What's your real name?

Jay Shah. 

Is it? 

Tapioca. Fuck Samira. Tapioca.

The room light comes on and Samira is standing in the door way across from Jay. She's in a white shift. Hair short and black, sticking out in all directions. Black eye-liner. Smeared. She has a shotgun on a table next to her. A flashlight in her hand. 

Samira laughs. Tapioca? .

Jay: Isn't that our safe word? It's our safe word. I have to use a safe word, you have a shotgun. 

Samira: So you're back. You better be wearing your boots, cowboy.

Jay lifts his pant leg. Shows her a boot. 

Jay: Thank you. Nice. Comfortable. 

Jay: Nice work with the gun. You racked it in the dark? 

Samira: It's empty. I was pretty sure it was you. I just wanted to scare you. 

Jay smiles his wolfish smile. 

Jay: I thought you told me you would be in Jaipur stirring your cauldron.

Samira: I left the play early. There were plenty of girls who wanted the part. Wanted to be here more than I wanted to be in a play.

Samira: But you wore your boots even though you didn't think I'd be here.

Jay: Wore them just in case you were here. Hoped you'd be here. Didn't want to risk not wearing them if you were here.

Samira smiles.

Jay looks at her: Come here

Samira: You are giving me orders already? 

Jay: Not an order. An appeal. Come here.

Samira: Sounds like an order. 

She puts the flash light down and walks over to him. Stands in front of him. 

Samira shows him her right hand. The black star sapphire ring is on the ring finger. 

Samira: I told you I wear it. 

Jay: Looks good. 

Jay takes her hand kisses her fingers, turns her hand over kisses her palm. 

Jay smiles: Mystic queen. I liked thinking of you wearing the ring when I was - well when I was where I was.

Samira: Sure, sure. I know where you were. The drawings - remember the drawings - on the newspaper. The paper was in Farsi. I couldn't read it but I know Farsi when I see it. 

Jay: No boyfriends we need to kick out of your bed? ? 

I thought you said no boyfriends here. 

Samira puts her arms around his neck. Pulls his head down to her. Kisses him. 

Jay: No biting.

Samira bites him gently on the neck. 

Jay picks her up and carries her into the bedroom. Put her down on the bed. 

Just one little problem Tapioca, unless you want to have sex with me while I'm wearing these boots, I'm gonna need you to help me get them off. 

Samira: I do want to have sex with you while you are wearing the boots. Maybe a cowboy hat too. But not tonight. 

Samira gets off the bed. Jay sits on the edge of the bed extends his foot. 

Samira sits down on the floor in front of him pulls off one boot then then the other other. 

Samira: Pretty sure you could take them off by yourself. 

Jay: Just looking to start with a little spirit of cooperation. 


	2. Let's start with your whole complete name

3nd draft

Morning light on the veranda. It is warm and clear. There is a light breeze blowing off the ocean.  


Jay is sitting in a t shirt and shorts, barefoot, at the top of the stairs holding a tea and looking out through the trees to the ocean.  


Samira comes out, in a white shift, walks over to him. Leans over kisses him on the top of the head. Good morning. She goes back in and makes a coffee. Comes back out. Stands behind him.  


Jay: Sit down here. 

He points to the step below him. She walks down two steps, sits down in front of him. He puts one leg on each side of her. 

Jay: Lean back against me. Samira leans back against him. He holds his tea with one hand, puts his other hand lightly on her shoulder over her shift, then slides his hand down toward her breast, leaves his hand resting lightly on her breast.  


Jay breathes in.  


Jay: Warm here. Sunny. Raining and cold when I left London.  


Samira: So now what?  


Jay: I guess we get to know each other.  


Samira: How long are you staying?  


Jay: A month.  


Samira: Can you extend it?  


Jay: Maybe.  


Samira: Who are you? I mean it. Who are you?  


Jay: What do you want to know?  


Samira: Your name. Let's start with your real actual whole complete name.  


Jay: Jatinder Asif Mohammad Davoud Shah Reza Palhavi. Never use Reza; never use Palhavi. My mother called me Asif - only person who ever did.  


Samira: So are you Persian royalty?  


Jay: My dad is. Related to royal family. After the revolution he stopped using Reza and Palhavi. Mohammad Reza Shah and his Savak embarrassed him. He works in Her Majesty's diplomatic corps. I'm kind of a mongrel. Told you about the Nepalese-Irish thing from my mother's side.  


Samira: Are you married?

Jay: Divorced. 

Samira: When were you married? How long? 

Jay: When I was 21. After my mother's death. Only five months. Arranged marriage. Pushed into it by my dad and my sister. They thought I wasn't doing well after my mom was killed. Wasn't getting over it. Thought marriage would be good. I went along with it. [Shakes his head.] Supposedly a devout Muslim girl from a good family. Virginal. Turns out she was was none of those things. Came home after a thing in Iraq. Home six days early. Came in dropped my bags in front hall, went upstairs to take a shower. Opened the bedroom door. Found her in bed underneath some guy. Not devout. Not virginal. Not even a good family. Went back downstairs, took my bags, went to my dad's, told my dad marriage wasn't going to work. He called a friend who did divorces. The friend arranged a quick quiet divorce. My sister and my dad felt horrible, blamed themselves. Still apologize to me for her. 

Samira: Shock opening that door? 

Jay: Relief. It was all wrong with her. Knew should never have agreed to it. Thought I'd be stuck with her for rest of my life. Felt like thanking the guy. Felt like celebrating

Samira: No kids. 

Jay: No. 

Samira: Dad works for Her Majesty. What does sis do? What about mom? 

Jay: I told you a little about mom. She was a teacher. Local college. Film, history, folklore. Loved teaching film. Sis is a kids' doctor. Public health. Arranged marriage. Works for them. Nice husband. 2 kids. Nice kids. Lives in Leicester. My mom's buried in Leicester. 

Samira: Girlfriends? 

Jay: Been obsessed with some girl for about a year. 

Samira: Me?  


Jay: Of course not you. 

Samira: It's me. 

Jay sings: I'll be your man I'll understand Do my best to take good care a you 

Samira: Here for a honeymoon?  


Jay: Wouldn't mind a honeymoon with you. I guess that depends on what you want.  


Samira: We could travel.  


Jay: You want to show me Pondicherry? The Taj Mahal?  


Samira: I do. Could we do that?  


Jay: We could.  


Samira: Was there snow in London?  


Jay: Just rain. Cold though.  


Samira: I might be a little homesick for England. For snow. Cold.  


Jay: We can figure a way to get you back there. As yourself. The amnesia thing would work.  


Samira: You could move here. I'm lonely  


Jay: Wanna go back to bed?  


Samira: Last night wasn't enough?  


Jay: One night?  


Samira: You want more, yeah?  


Jay: Yeah. Of course I want more.  


Jay gives her his slow wolfish smile. [Smile he gave her on the bus to Goa when she said he'd know if she took off her dress.] 

Samira: I just want to sit here for a little while with you and enjoy the morning. It feels so good.  


Samira: Are we in love?  


Jay: We are.  


Samira: How long have we been in love?

Jay: Don't know for you. Not sure. For me a year. At least since we were on the bus to here last November. Lying next to you. Most content I ever felt. And since the first two days in bed here. February was good too but began for me the two days in November. In bed with you, never knew I could feel like that. 

Jay: You know all this. In Amritsar when Deepesh didn't show up, started to feel protective of you. But you belonged to Deepesh. You were off limits. A package to be taken care of and delivered. And, I thought he loved you. Thought you loved him. Then Deepesh didn't want you. Wanted to send you back to Pakistan, wanted me to take you back and dump you. Clear he didn't love you. You cried. Broke my heart. I wanted to comfort you. Wanted to fix things for you. Wanted Deepesh to change his mind 'cause it was what you wanted. At the same time lying next to you at night, started to wonder what it would be like to be with you. I began to want to take you away from him. Make you love me not him. A guy thing. Win the girl. Take the girl away from the other guy. Cave man stuff. When you left last November, felt like I lost and he won. You were willing to disappear with him but not with me.  


Samira: But February couldn't you tell I loved you? Had fallen in love with you? Didn't you know I wanted you to stay with me. 

Jay: Don't trust my judgment with you. In November when we were on the bus thought you felt what I felt. You left, couldn't trust my judgment. I told you that. And, I thought you would have never called me if you had been able to sell the jewels yourself. In February thought it was possible you just wanted help with the stones. You could have been seducing me to be sure I'd help you. Seduction was okay, almost as good as the real thing. I enjoyed it. But, I can't tell what you really feel. 

Samira: What about my letters then? 

Jay: Ah, letters and that poem. 

Samira: You liked it? 

Jay: You know I liked it. More than liked it. "You under me quite so new." Made me crazy. Wanted to leave what I was doing and get on the next plane back. 

Jay: Yeah the letters. Like hearing your voice. 

Samira: I wrote like 20 letters. Love letters. 

Jay: 18 letters. Not exactly love letters. 

Samira: But okay, want to know when I knew I knew I was in love with you. Really knew? So in Pondicherry I missed you. Taj Mahal sunrise wished you were there. In Mumbai when I was assaulted, I should have felt horrible, but I felt kind of happy. Because I knew I would call you and I knew you would come. I mean I believed you would. And I would see you. Be with you again. Didn't think about being in love with you. 

Jay: When then? I want to know.

Samira: It was after we were in Delhi after the thing with the jewelers. 

Jay: The halter top. Sex in the kitchen? Then?

Samira: No not sex in the kitchen. That was good. You are very good in kitchens. Remember after the sex in the kitchen we went back to bed and I tried to explain how I felt and you got mad at me and walked out. 

Jay: Yeah. Sorry. Still sorry. 

Samira: No it doesn't matter. Listen. When you came back, you apologized and I started laughing and you laughed too. You got on the bed with me and we were both sitting there laughing. That was when I knew. I knew. It wasn't like a surprise. Just like it was there for a while, true for awhile that I was in love with you, but sitting on the bed laughing both of us laughing I recognized it. Oh. I thought wow I am really in love with this guy. 

Jay annoyed: So before that you were just seducing me?

Samira: Before that I was just going along. I wanted to be with you. I needed you. Liked having sex with you. Wanted you to care about me. But it was both of us laughing on the bed when I knew. 

Jay: When you called me fun-boy.

Samira: Yeah when I called you fun-boy. Maybe a little before that when I tried to tell you how I felt and it all went wrong. But when I knew really knew was when we were sitting on the bed both laughing. And you looked like you did in Goa, your hair kind of a mess, curls falling on your forehead, like when we were there the first time walking to the beach. You looked happy - wide-open and tender and playful. Sitting on the bed together laughing that was when I knew I was in love. 

Jay becoming angry: You mean before that you were seducing me. 

Smaira: Maybe. No. I don't know. I missed you from the time I left you that morning in Goa when I took the scooter. I told you. But it was sitting on the bed with you when we were both laughing. That was when I knew. I'm not saying I wasn't in love with you before that. It was just then that I knew.

Jay still annoyed: Well it took you long enough to figure it out. 

Samira also annoyed: Uh. You kidnapped me for real not a fake nice kidnapping. But a real one. You put a fucking hood over my head, taped my mouth, tied my hands behind me with some plastic ties that hurt by the way. You looked like a fucking terrorist. You acted like a fucking terrorist. Threw me the boot [trunk] like a sack of flour. Ordered me around like you were some army general. You killed my guard and my boyfriend. Forgive me for not falling madly in love with you the second you smiled at me. 

Jay: Okay, okay. I guess once I felt attracted to you, I wanted you to feel it too. I wanted you to feel what I felt. 

Samira: I know. 

Jay: Okay. I didn't have realistic expectations in Goa. The first time we were there. But you helped me think you were going to stay with me. Rent the beach house for the winter - "perfect" you said perfect, remember? 

Samira: Come on. That was a year ago. Be here now. Hesse? Siddhartha? Isn't that the zen way? And I bought a Kama Sutra book for us. You know you should have a tall girl, though, better fit. 

Jay: No, my dumpling. Pretty sure I'm best with a short, sarcastic girl. Must be some good positions for us in that book. 

Samira: I am not a dumpling. 

Jay: So can we go back to bed now?  


Samira: I want to walk on the beach first.  


Jay: I want to put you over my shoulder and carry you back to bed first. I should. 


	3. A Shopping trip; a call from Gale

The curtain is blowing gently - the pink curtain next to the bed. Morning light diffused thru it.  
Jay is lying in bed. Dozing. The covers are in disarray.  
Samira walks into the bedroom carrying a mug.  
Jay sits up: You're bringing me a tea in bed?  
Hands him the tea.  
Samira: A sus ordenes. I live to serve you but you can't stay in bed all day today.  
Jay: Why not? If you live to serve me? Serve me in bed. Get back in bed. Not an order. A request. A hope.  
Samira climbs on the bed. Sit cross legged on top of the covers.  
Samira: We need to get out. Honeymoon shopping.  
Jay: We do? What is honeymoon shopping?  
Samira: Oils, lotions. I was sore for days after you left last February. A tray so you can serve me breakfast in bed. Bring me coffee, one of your omelets. Lingerie. Wouldn't you like to see me in black stockings. And we need peanut butter. Honey. Chocolate syrup. Oysters.  
Jay: You were sore? I hurt you?  
Samira: You never made a girl sore before?  
Jay: I don't think so. No one ever said.  
Samira: How many times do you think we had sex in 3 days?  
Jay: I didn't count.  
Jay clearly upset: I hurt you?  
Samira: Calm down Cowboy. It is okay. After you left. Warm baths. No sex. I recovered. Easy solutions. We need lotion. Some nice oil. And you can go slow, take your time, no rushing.  
Jay: You didn't say. I asked you if I was hurting you.  
Samira: You didn't hurt me. A little. A couple of times. It was just too many times, in too short a time. It's okay. I wanted it. Wanted you. Wanted sex with you. I really didn't notice I was that sore til later. Til after you left. It was worth it. We didn't have much time. Now we have time.  
Jay: We have time. No sex if you get sore. You have to tell me.  
Samira: I'll tell you. But there is something else. Gale called. He's coming down tomorrow. He's flying in. Wants us to pick him up. Wants to talk to you about something.  
Jay groans: He wants that favor. Not going to be good Samira. Goodbye honeymoon.  
Samira: Maybe not.


	4. A way to Get Someone out of Sahiwal

Jay and Samira pull-up to an out building at the Goa Airport. A sign above the door says Spice Airlines. Below that Authorized Personnel Only. 

Samira and Jay go in. 

Gale and Cedric are standing near a counter. Gale is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that says Transamerican airlines (a plane tied in a knot) and loafers no socks. No eye-shadow. Gale waves. Motions Jay and Samira over. 

Gale embraces Samira. Shakes Jay's hand. 

To Jay: See I told you she would be here. 

Samira to Jay: Gale told you I'd be be at the beach house? 

Jay shrugs: He did. 

Samira punches Jay in the arm: You knew?

Jay: I hoped. 

Gale to Cedric: You remember Samira. 

Cedric: Good to see you again Samira. 

Gale: How many languages do you speak Samira? 

Samira: Punjabi, Urdu, English of course, Pashto. I can get by in Kashmiri, understand some others but can't speak them. Some French. Some Farsi - Farsi and Urdu share a lot of words. No Turkish. No Arabic. 

Gale: Feel like playing dress-up again? Maybe a Saroosh encore?

Samira: Was hoping for a honeymoon here.

Gale: Did you two get married and not invite me?

Jay: Reverse order. Honeymoon first. If things are good, we might talk marriage. 

Samira: I'm sure about the honeymoon. Not sure about marriage. 

Gale: With you two on honeymoon, how could things not be good? 

Jay: Uh is this about that favor I owe you?

Gale: Yeah. It is. Sorry to interrupt the honeymoon. But this won't exactly wait.

Jay: Okay let's get your bags. We can talk at the house. 

Gale: Might involve flying in and out of an unfriendly place. Cedric might be helping out. Need him to be part of the conversation. 

Jay: Lot of unfriendly places in the world.

Jay: I thought you needed a ride. 

Gale: I did. I didn't fly down with Ced. I just bumped into him. Told him I had something going on and might need him. He offered to drive me to your place. I was getting ready to call you. You were already on your way. Sorry for the wasted trip. 

Cedric: Gale's bags are in my car already. 

Gale: Why don't we meet you at the beach house then? 

Jay: Okay, sure. 

Jay: Here's my key. 

Jay: Ced was nice enough to give me a ride when I flew in. He knows where it is.

Gale: I know where it is. 

Jay hands the key to Gale: Okay. 

Gale: I was down here with Samira a couple of months ago. Stayed two weeks. Nice place. 

Jay: Make yourself at home. 

Jay: Samira and I will pick up some lunch. Meet you there.

Samira: I have a Thai place I like. Eggplant, Satay, Pad Thai okay? 

^^^*^^^

Ced and Dorothy are sitting on the veranda. 

Ced: This is a great place. You're renting? 

Jay: Year lease. Good price. Owner doesn't usually get anyone during rainy months. I wanted Samira to have a place if she needed it so took it for the whole year. 

Ced: Right on the water. If you don't renew, let me know. 

Samira: Food's on the table. Have beer, sparkling water. Some whiskey. Come on in. Bring the chairs. 

Gale: So when you met Samira at the wedding... 

Ced: You and Samira met at a wedding? 

Jay: We did. Long story. 

Samira rolls her eyes. 

Gale: You flew into Lahore, drove to Kohat then drove down to Younganabad. You bought guns in Darra Adam Khel. You drove it straight through. 

Jay: Yeah. Needed a gun. Guns. Easiest way. Samira and Sammy and I were back up there in February. 

Gale: You weren't stopped? 

Samira starts to clear. 

Jay: I'll help you clean up later. Sit here with us. You are going to be part of this. 

Gale: No. We'll all clean-up now. 

They all get up clear the table and clean up. 

Table is cleared. 

Gale gets out a map. 

They sit back around the table in the dining room. 

Gale spreads out the map on the table. It's a map of Pakistan with some of north eastern India.

Gale: Were you stopped? Any roadblocks? Where?

Jay: Just a roadblock the first time I was up in November. Wasn't there when Sammy and I and Samira drove back. 

Jay points to a place on the map: About here I think. 

Jay: In November it was border police. Check point. They had guns. Young guys in uniforms - five or six of them. I was stopped. Asked for papers. The guard got distracted by a driver with a truck with guns hidden in the produce. Got all excited about that. So they waved me through. 

Gale: Did you come in with guns when you crossed the border into India. 

Jay: In November thigh holster one gun. Walked in with Samira. Checked our passports - looked hard at the pictures. Nothing in February. Nitin has a friend with a drone. We had 8 guns and we had them brought across by drone in February. Too many to attempt to walk across with. 

Gale: You had British passports? 

Jay: Yeah 

Gale: Pretty sure we can get whatever documents we need from old friends who want this. And we have Nitin. We have the resources of the theater troop. 

Jay: Where you going with this Gale? 

Gale: Some old friends have a fellow they want to get out of a prison in Sahiwal, Punjab. Can't have any of their fingerprints on it. No USA connection at all visible. Somebody friends of mine and USA owe a debt to, a big debt, and the word is there is nothing USA can officially do to help. The guy is sick and could die in prison. Has been tortured. Bad situation. Was approved for extraction - him and his family - plan was to resettle him in USA, new identities everything after he had helped the good guys but the guy turned the extraction down. Worried that he could only take out immediate family and worried extended family would be targeted for retribution. So he stayed, hoped for the best. Family not targeted but he was arrested on trumped up charges, kangaroo trial, given 35 years. Hasn't gone well. Only family sees him and their visits get shut off from time to time arbitrarily. Say he is "skeletal". He's had three lawyers. Two of them have been assassinated. His third lawyer is okay so far - some bullet holes in the windows - but lawyer hasn't been allowed in to see him in 6 months. Wife saw him 3 weeks ago. She says he is dying. 

Gale: Some old friends gave me a call, wondered if I had any ideas. 

Jay: Do you have any ideas? 

Gale: Not yet. But between the four of us maybe we can think of something. 

Samira: Four? 

Gale: You're our translator. 

Samira: I can speak the languages - Punjabi and Urdu what you need probably - but I don't want to go into Pakistan. 

Jay: You enjoyed the trip to Dara Adamkhel when you got your guns. 

Samira: I did. I was somebody else - a guy - Saroosh. 

Jay: An exfil from a Pakistan prison? 

Jay shakes is head.

Cedric: Not easy to fly in an out. And have to be very very careful. Don't want to start a shooting war between India and Pakistan by accident. But there are places. Fly in low. Land quick in and out. Can be done. It's an 800 mile - 1200 kilometers - border. Can be crossed in places. 

Jay: Picks up his phone. Dials. 

Jay: Sammy? What are you doing? 

Sammy: Hey Jay. Where are you ? Goa? 

Jay: Yeah Goa. I'm here with Samira. 

Samira waves toward the phone 

Jay: Samira says Hi.

Sammy: Tell the goddess hello. 

Jay: What are you doing over the next couple of weeks? 

Sammy: I'm in Riyadh. Not my favorite place. Finishing something up. Home tomorrow. 5-6 day break. Might be able to get Terry to give me a little more time if it is for you. What do you need? 

Jay: Don't know yet. I'll call you back. Checking availability. Gale is putting something together. Hold the time if you can for now. 

Hangs up. 

Ced and Samira have beer. Gale has whiskey. Heaven's Door bottle on the table. Jay has a sparkling water.

Jay: Do we know of anyone who has gotten out of this prison, any previous escapes, break-outs?

Gale: So far only way out of Sahiwal seems to be serve your sentence get released, pardon, new trial with innocent verdict or death. 

Samira: So maybe death? A Romeo and Juliet? Well Juliet not Romeo. 

Jay: Samira is a pharmacist. 

Gale: Fake death? Pseudo-death? Is there really a way to do it? 

Samira: Your CIA pals should know. Supposedly it can be done. Curare. Nightshade. Leopards bane. Not for the faint of heart. Dosing, timing. No threat of autopsy. 

Ced: Maybe a little more than a translator. 

Gale: CIA? Where'd you get that idea? I don't know anyone in the CIA. Winks at Samira. 

Samira yawns. 

Jay stands up. Walks around, stands behind Samira. Kisses her hair. She reaches up to him. He takes Samira's hand. Turns her hand palm up. Kisses her palm. 

Jay: We are going to bed. Stay as long as you want. 

Jay: Gale, Samira made the bed up in the guest room. 

Cedric you are welcome to the couch. Gale knows where the blankets and pillows are. 

Cedric: I've got a wife and kids at home. I've got to get going. 

Cedric: Don't see any way of doing this. Romeo and Juliet, huh? 

Samira: Juliet. Not Romeo. 

Jay: Sounds risky. Don't see it, but ... 

Cedric: If there's a way to get this guy out Gale you'll find it. 


	5. Chapter 5

Gale walks into the kitchen: Good morning.

Jay is cooking: Sleep okay? 

Samira has set the table for three.

Gale has on chinos and a t-shirt that says Transpacific with a picture of a Hawaiian scene. Bare feet. 

Jay: Romeo and Juliet. Remind me never to underestimate you, Samira. 

Samira smiles. 

Gale: It's a place to start. 

Jay hands Gale a mug of coffee: French Press. 

Gale sips the coffee: If you dont marry Samira, I want to marry you. I would expect you to make me coffee every morning.

Samira: And he drinks tea most of the time. 

Gale: Thinking out loud here. Been thinking about this all night. Muslims like a quick burial after death, right. 

Samira: 24 hours.

Gale : So if our prisoner died - let's forget about the politics for a second even though that might be an important consideration - what would normally happen if a prisoner at Sahawil died? 

Samira: Probably body would be given to the family. Body would be washed by the family, then wrapped in white cloth linen or cotton then buried. 

Gale: Okay so let's say we give the family something, they give it to our guy, he takes it, drops faux dead. Prison is fooled into thinking really dead. Would they quickly release the body to the family to be in accord with Muslim law.

Samira: Probably. Unless they wanted to keep the body and bury him themselves or wanted to cover up the death. Should release it to family. The dead are supposed to be buried basically where they die. Same city. Not returned home to another place unless there is a worry the grave would be desecrated. 

Gale: I need to learn more about this prison. It's old. Has a morgue no doubt. 1870's built I think.

Gale : A pharmacist. A pharmacist. Very good. What about other things besides faux death, Samira? Say seizures or vomiting. Wouldn't kill but would warrant transfer to a hospital. 

Samira: There are things. You are looking for side effects.


	6. Chapter 6

Gale walks out with coffee: Not as warm as I'd like it.

Jay: Service here isn't that good. Got to get up earlier. 

Samira is sitting on the steps. Jay is above and behind her. A leg on each side of her. She has coffee. 

Gale puts the coffee down, goes back in brings out a chair. Places it on the veranda to their right. Leans back balances the two back legs of the chair on the ground. Her feet on the railing. Picks up the cup of coffee from the deck.

Gale: I want to to talk to you two for a minute. 

Samira looks up at with the wide open look she has sometimes. A child's look. She leans back against Jay. He puts his hand on her shoulder. Kisses her on top of her head.

Jay: Something serious?

Gale: Something serious.

Gale: Okay. Now Samira I want you to hear this. You probably are going to want to go back to England and be yourself again. Sooner or later. You are going to get tired of this. And so is Jay. I'm older than you two and I have been doing clandestine a long time. I have a hunch you two are going to want a life together. Marriage, maybe kids. There are ways to get you back to your old life Samira. Bumpy. But it can be done. Most people living on the run or in the shadows eventually get tired of it. Escaped prisoners turn themselves in. Just don't want to be on the run any more. In the shadows any more. Can be exhausting. Jay already I can tell thinks about a life with you in England. Not pushing it with you just thinking about a life together there. I see it. 

Jay: It's on my mind sometimes. 

>

Gale: I'm saying this so you know that when you are ready, I'll help you. And I'm saying it so you know not to be surprised if you start longing to go back to England. 

Samira: Jay could come here. You've stayed here. 

Gale: No way to get my Indian boyfriend into the USA. Would love to have gone back and bought a place together in San Francisco. That door is closed. You know how things are there now. Didn't have a choice. I've made it work here. For now at least. My hunch is that eventually you are going to want to go back to England. And Jay is going to want you to go back. 

<


	7. Chapter 7

They are sitting in chairs on the beach. At the waterline. The tide is going out but occasionally a wave washes up over their feet and under the chairs.

Gale: What would make a sick man a bit sicker so they would take him to the hospital not just the prison infirmary but to the hospital. If we can get him out of the prison we can get him ot of Pkistan. we cant breat nto the prison. Butif we can get him transferred to our hospital we have people we can work with there.

Samira: Let's say the family visits. There are drugs that give the same symptoms as is a drug. Do they let him in the same room or is it thru glass.

Gale: the lawyers sees him in the same room. sometimes they let the wife in with the lawyer. We have a doctor at a local hospital who is willing to help if we can get him transferred. So Samira, we need a substance we can easily obtain, easily smuggle in that will get him transferred to a hospital. We need him to get severely ill quickly but nothing that would endanger his life. We probably have 36 hours. We need him to be transferred when we have our doctor on duty. 

Samira: there are a number of things that could make him quite sick. Antifreeze is easy to get. he is already compromised. he could die from ingesting it but he would have symptoms they wouldn't attribute to antifreeze and they would likely get him to a hospital. If the hospital know to expect him they could begin hemodialysis - cleaning the blood we would have to be sure they were equipped for that and they would clean his blood hemodialysis and then we could get him out of there.

Gale: we don't' want to kill him. 

Samira: He would have 36 hours before the kidney damage and there are kidney transplants. A kidney transplant is better than dying in Sahiwal I imagine. 

Saira: how would you get it in to him.

Gale: There is that. We need a 007 device. How much antifreeze do we need? A cup full for good strong symptoms. 

gale He has to drink a cup of antifreeze.

Samira: yes.

Gale: What can we put a cup of antifreeze in that he could then drink that his lawyer or wife could bring in to him. We have to get the antifreeze in, he has to drink it , we have to insure he is brought quickly to the hospital we want we have to have a dialysis machine we have to get him out of the hospital and on to Ced's plane before anyone notices. Complicated plan.

Samira: I can tell you what the antifreeze will do, and what is needed to treat it and what a likely timeline would e. The rest? Don't know. Don't your CIPa buddies have camera in people's shoes and knives in their belt buckles. Surly they could make you something for the antifreeze. A straw and a hidden pocket or something 49


End file.
